Social Emotional Learning Improv Assembly : We have a fabulous new cost-effective assembly to help your students embrace social emotional learning. This program is one-part show and one-part master class in Improv comedy. We use a similar program to teach corporate teams empathy and listening to increase team building, leadership, sales and service.

Our shows, Improv 4 Kids & Improv 4 Teens, have been touring K-12 schools since 2003. This new program is an off shoot of 5000 performances and specific requests by teachers, guidance and principals – including performing for a number of Anti-Bully programs. The new program is still a ton of fun but a bit more on message. AND as this program has a smaller cast, a bit more affordable for schools.

Social Emotional Learning Improv Assembly

We start the show with a quick warm-up. We get the students excited to participate and learn with a few simple call and response exercises.

The biggest skills set in any performance is listening. Every one gets on there feet for a round of STOP WALK. Students learn a series of simple commands to follow- walk (in place for larger groups), stop. clap, hop; etc. THEN we announce it is opposite day.  Through out we instruct students to be aware of their surroundings.

To demonstrate how Improvisation works, the pros play one our games involving students on stage. HUMAN MAD LIBS uses four students on stage. Two players perform a scene. From time to time they point at a volunteer to share a word or phrase. The performers repeats and justifies the new offer. We discuss the concept of YES AND… Working as a team the performers accept and support EVERYTHING offered by their teammates – which includes the audience volunteers.

The mask game allows us to teach some theater history AND how to perform emotions. We discuss the ancient Greek theater and their use of masks to portray emotions. We jump forward to 200-300 years ago when the masks were made by simply making faces, not actually feeling the emotion for real. Now we put on a happy mask. We are transformed immediately. We take it ff and return to neutral. We move to a sad mask. Then to angry. We tell students for SAD and MAD just look the professionals in the eye, not side to side to friends and other students. SAD & MAD are powerful. Acting can be so real that even in an exercise folks might misconstrue our emotions. We briefly discuss how those emotions feel. We end with the concept “Our emotions are always valid. But we are responsible for when we act out on those emotions.” Before moving one we have a little trick actors use to let go of emotional stress developed while performing. It works in the real world as well. We also share a little story of a famous actor that forgot to let go of his anger after a shoot.

THE MACHINE invites 8 students and 2 teachers on stage. Each student adds a physical motion and a sound. The result is a well oiled widget factory kicking out laughs

Inviting another 8 students and 2 teachers on stage we play I AM A TREE to introduce basic story telling elements of WHO & WHERE – characters and setting. We continue to explore working with others and be aware of our space and how we affect others by our choices. Each student adds to the picture announcing who/what they are and how they connect to the story.

Another 8 students and 2 teachers are invited on stage to play FREEZE TAG with the pros. This game is a series of quick scenes. Two players start a scene. The MC or another player yells FREEZE. The performers in the scene become statues. The new player taps out and takes the statues exact position. Every time a new player joins, they starts a brand new scene, inspired by the adopted physical choices and introducing NEW characters and setting.

As time permits we play FREEZE FRAME or HUMAN SLIDE SHOW.  A number of students and teachers invited on stage form a series of poses or human picture. The professional players narrate as a historical slide show – typically from American History or famous invention.

We wrap up with a brief Q&A and messaging about respecting each other and ourselves.

PRICING & BOOKING

Bring this 45-60 minute show to your school any where for just $500. $1000/day up to FOUR shows/workshops. Single shows/days currently limited to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Shows recommended for up to 200 students. Workshops for 20-30 students or teachers (professional development) but can be expanded to larger groups as needed. Every school will be sent a digital copy of study guides and the licencing to print/ reproduce unlimited as needed.

$500/day WORKSHOPS only for smaller groups features one teaching artist for up to FIVE 45-60 minute session or TWO two-hour sessions.

$3500/week up to 10 schools/20 session (shows/workshops) in the same district. Bring this programming anywhere in the United States. No additional fees required. Fill up a week at multiple schools with shows, workshop and even professional development for teachers.

STAFF

SEL ASSEMBLY program is hosted by Walt Frasier. (Seen on ABC’s Good Morning America as Santa, Showtime’s “Billions”, TruTV’s “Friends of the People”, CBS’s “Blue Bloods”, USA’s “Royal Pains”, Late Night with David Letterman, MTV and more) As artistic director of IMPROV THEATER LLC Walter has hosted over 5000 improv shows for K12 audiences off Broadway in Times Square and touring nationwide. From 2009-2011 Walter served as director of instruction for the Comedy Hall of Fame’s LAUGH IT OUT Program. His students have been winning competitions, getting TV bookings and even getting hired by the professional company after graduation high school. He also hosts numerous corporate events using the same Improv skills to teach team building, leadership/management. sales and customer service. In the past 15 years, clients include teams from HSBC, Macy’s, 360i, JP Morgan Chase, IBM, Morgan Stanley, Master Card, American Express, NYC Schools (DOE VENDOR), Microsoft/BING, Twitter, Louis Vuitton, Coach, Home Depot, Enrst & Young, GM, KRAFT, UBS, UNILEAVER, HBO,  and 100s more smaller/local firms.

Walter is joined by 1-2 professional form the ranks of EIGHT IS NEVER ENOUGH Improv – performing off Broadway in Times Square NYC.

http://www.eightimprov.biz

http://www.improv4kids.com